Ancient Literature & Textual Sources

Out of the ancient Indian figures mentioned, Bhavabhuti, Hastimalla and Kshemeshvara were famous playwrights. Bhavabhuti: A celebrated playwright and poet from the 8th century CE, known for his Sanskrit plays like "Mahaviracharita," "Malatimadhava," and "Uttararamacharita." Hastimalla: A Jain poet and writer from the 13th century CE, who wrote in Kannada and is known for his work "Purvapurana." Kshemeshvara: A Sanskrit poet from Kashmir, believed to have lived between the 10th and 11th centuries CE. One of his notable works is "Dasavatar Charita."

* Songs from Prison' is a collection of translations of ancient Indian religious lyrics from Sanskrit into English. These translations were made by Mohandas Karamchand Gandhi during his time in Yerwada Prison in 1930. Therefore, the person associated with 'Songs from Prison' is Mohandas Karamchand Gandhi. It was published in 1934. * Balgangadhar Tilak: He launched Kesari, a Marathi weekly, and Mahratta, an English weekly, to promote nationalist ideas. In 1884, he established the Deccan Education Society to improve education in India. He also initiated the public celebrations of Sarvajanik Ganeshotsav and Shivaji Jayanti to foster national unity and cultural pride. In 1916, Tilak, along with Annie Besant, founded the All India Home Rule League, advocating self-governance for India. * Jawahar Lal Nehru: He became the President of the Indian National Congress in 1929 during the Lahore Session, where he led the passage of the historic Purna Swaraj resolution, demanding complete independence from British rule. In the 1936 Lucknow Session, he urged Congress members to embrace socialism as a guiding principle. The following year, he presided over the Faizpur Session, making it the first INC session to be held in a rural area.

The ruler who advised his subjects through the inscription quoted is Ashoka. This inscription is part of the Major Rock Edict XII of Ashoka. Ashoka, who ruled the Mauryan Empire from 268 to 232 BCE, is known for his embrace of Buddhism and his efforts to promote peace and non-violence after a particularly bloody war. His edicts, inscribed on pillars and rocks throughout his empire, conveyed his messages to his subjects. This specific inscription emphasizes religious tolerance and respect for all faiths.

Statement 1 is incorrect. Panini (c. 5th-4th century BCE) was a grammarian who wrote the Ashtadhyayi, a foundational text of Sanskrit grammar. Pushyamitra Shunga (r. 185-145 BCE) was the founder of the Shunga dynasty, which ruled after the Mauryan Empire. Their timelines don't align. Statement 2 is incorrect. Amarasimha (c. 4th-5th century CE) was a scholar and lexicographer who compiled the Amarakosha, a Sanskrit thesaurus. He was one of the nine gems in the court of Vikramaditya, Gupta emperor. Harshavardhana (r. 606-647 CE) was a ruler of the Vardhana dynasty. Thus, there was no overlap between both of them. Statement 3 is correct. Kalidasa (c. 4th-5th century CE) is considered one of the greatest Sanskrit poets and dramatists. His works include Abhijnakuntalam (Shakuntala) and Meghadtam (The Cloud Messenger). The Gupta Empire, under Chandra Gupta II (r. 375-415 CE), is known as a golden age of Indian literature, and Kalidasa is believed to have flourished during this period.

Sohgaura is not a Harappan site and is situated in Uttar Pradesh. It is famous for its copper inscription written in Prakrit in the Brahmi script. It belongs to the Mahajanapad and Mauryan periods. All the other three are Harappan sites. Chanhudaro in Sindh, Pakistan, Kot Diji in Sindh, Pakistan, Desalpur in Gujarat, India.

Statement 1 is correct. Warfare Evidence suggests the Rigvedic Aryans used protective gear like coats of mail and helmets in battle, while there's no clear indication of similar armour usage by the Indus Valley civilization. Statement 2 is incorrect. Both Rigvedic Aryans and Indus Valley people were familiar with gold, silver, and copper. Iron usage has been limited to Vedic Aryan culture while Harappans were unaware of Iron. Statement 3 is correct. Horse Domestication: The Rigveda contains numerous references to horses, suggesting they were well-known and likely domesticated by the Rigvedic Aryans. There's no clear evidence of horse domestication or use in the Indus Valley civilization.

The person who first deciphered the edicts of Emperor Ashoka was James Prinsep. James Prinsep (1799-1840) was an English philologist, antiquary and administrator who served in the British East India Company. He played a crucial role in deciphering and interpreting the inscriptions and edicts of Emperor Ashoka, which were written in the Brahmi script. In the 1830s, Prinsep was able to decipher the Brahmi script and translate Ashoka's inscriptions, which provided valuable insights into the reign and policies of the Mauryan emperor. His groundbreaking work helped establish the historical significance of Ashoka and the Mauryan empire.

Malavikagnimitra: A play by Kalidasa, narrates the love story of King Agnimitra, the son of Pushyamitra Shunga, the founder of the Sunga dynasty. Swapnavasavadatta: This Sanskrit play by Bhasa does not revolve around the Sunga dynasty. Meghadoota: This poem by Kalidasa focuses on the pining of a separated Yaksha and doesn't involve historical figures. Ratnavali: This play by Sri Harsha also doesn't have a connection to the Sunga dynasty or its rulers.

The memorizing of chronicles, dynastic histories, and Epic tales was the profession of Maagadha. To make it easier to remember, let's break it down
- Chronicles These are the records of historical events in chronological order.
- Dynastic histories These detail the histories of dynasties or royal families.
- Epic tales These are long, narrative poems about heroic deeds. So, a Maagadha was essentially a historical storyteller or a keeper of history and legends. Shramana: This term refers to ascetics and monks in Indian religious traditions like Jainism and Buddhism. They renounced worldly life to pursue spiritual enlightenment. Parivraaj: Also known as Parivrajaka, this term refers to wandering mendicants or ascetics who renounced material life and traveled in search of spiritual wisdom. Agrahaarika: This term is related to administrators or managers of agraharas (land grants given to Brahmins) and does not relate to the memorization of histories.

Historical Context (2015): At the time this question was originally asked, Odia was the latest language to be granted Classical status (notified in February 2014). It was the 6th language to receive this honor. Criteria: To be eligible, a language must have a recorded history of 1500–2000 years, a body of ancient literature, and an original literary tradition not borrowed from another speech community. Timeline of Classical Languages: 2004: Tamil 2005: Sanskrit 2008: Telugu & Kannada 2013: Malayalam 2014: Odia Note for the Current Exam Cycle (2025-26): While Odia was the correct answer for the 2015 paper, the list was significantly expanded in October 2024. If this question were asked today, Assamese (along with Marathi, Bengali, Pali, and Prakrit) would be the correct answer as the most recent additions to the list.